End and beginning
by Nilke
Summary: Nero's last thoughts before passing away... PS 1 one-shot


"End and beginning"

"You'll learn not to sniff around Lassic's affairs", I could hear one of the Robotcops say. How could I sniff around, if I don't think I'll have another chance for anything?

I try to breath, but they keep on kicking me, hitting me everywhere. There's no place in my body where I don't feel pain.

I start shaking, the pain is too strong. I feel my blood running through my skin. I can barely take a look at myself, but all that I can see is my clothes soaked in my own blood. Now, apart from shacking, I start coughing. Breathing gets more and more difficult. I don't think I'll take it for much longer.

I feel cold, very cold. I know that I won't make it this time. I feel weaker as each second slips by... My eyelids weight too much... I can barely keep my eyes opened. I know that if I close them, it will be over... but I won't be able to resist much more.

From afar, I can hear a cry... but it's too soft to be a cry. Or is it me, that I can't tell between a cry and a whisper? Whatever, it was a cry. And after that, I see Alis running at my encounter.

Poor little Alis. This wasn't an image I ever wanted her to see. Now, she'll be all alone in the world. Suelo and other people at town will be there, I'm sure of it, but she'll be lone and lonely, nonetheless. Nekise, old friend, you were right after all! You knew I would get in trouble, but I never thought that that kind of things would happen to me. Now... it's too late.

"Nero, what happened? Don't die!", my sister cries out, shocked. I would like to live, sis, but I can't make it, not this time.

Quickly, and with my lasts breaths, I tell her to go on with my quest and to take care, and to find Odin, the one I should have searched for before. Maybe I would still be alive if I had joined forces with him. Weakly, I hand over my short sword to her, as if it could be helpful to her, poor sister. I think I'm signing her own death sentence with this, but someone has to stop Lassic. I know she'll understand me, some time.

And then... I only feel very lightly, and peaceful. I feel like I'm floating, and maybe I'm. I have to look down to see what's happening, so I suppose it's all over.

My body lies on the ground, still. My eyes seem to look at something, but I don't see through them. This is strange... Dying is something that one doesn't expect at this age... I thought I had so much ahead. Maybe that was the reason why I took so many risks without thinking in the consequenes. Who would have thought that things could go wrong and led to this outcome?

My sister breaks into tears, more than before. She knows that I'm already too far, and still... I can see her as if I was just next to her. She's broken-hearted... I've never expected this to happen. Failing wasn't in my plans, or else... I would have thought it better, just for her sake.

And now, I can't do anything for her. Staring at her from above, I now realize of the burden I had placed over her shoulders. But if I didn't tell her, then who would do it? Someone has to stop Lassic, and I know that my little Alis will do it, even if she looks fragile.

Somewhat blurred, I can see that more people are gathering around my dead body. I can see Suelo coming next to Alis, shocked. She still can't believe that this is happening... or has happened, because I'm already dead. She embraces Alis, comforting her, but for what I can see from here, I think that she is comforting herself, rather than my sister. Or they are comforting each other in that silent, yet tearful embrace.

I can also see Nekise, my friend, but in his home. He's unaware of my death, for the time being. I wonder how he will take it... It will be quite a shock, I think. At least, I would feel like that, if I weren't the dead one.

Now I can see how many things I left behind in my crusade against the tyrant... I can't really say that I regret it. Someone had to do it. If only I could get more people to aid me in my quest. I can't blame neither Suelo nor Nekise for having left me alone in this, as they were in their right to valorate their life more than I did. But I hadn't considered death as an option when I decided to start with this. Everyone had warned me about it, but I didn't want to listen to them. I had to do something against Lassic's change. I couldn't stand there, with my arms folded, waiting for someone else to do something about it, or for another change in Lassic's politics, this time for the good.

And I did find out "interesting" things, to call them some way. I could have found more if I had been luckier, or something else. At least, I got to know what Lassic wanted to do with Algol, as payment for his newly acquired immortal status to those suspicious people... However, I couldn't tell much to Alis. Practically, I couldn't tell her anything, but sending her to some kind of suicide mission... But I know that she'll do it. She's strong and smart. Imagine what the two of us could have done together...

But now... I can't do anything. I can't share what I have found out with anyone else. The little time I had was enough to only tell Alis to find Odin, and that Lassic was sending our world to destruction. I only helped to make her pain bigger, but she was my only hope left. Better said, she's Algol's only hope left, if no one else dares to mess around Lassic's affairs, like I did.

I couldn't involve her in my cause in the past. She's too young and innocent to mess around these kind of affairs, yet... she was my only and last chance. I hope she'll forgive me for this someday.

I feel myself like dragged to some other place. I start seeing everyone smaller and smaller, at the point that they all look like ants in the ground, or just little spots. I assume I'm officially dead by now. Well, I was already dead by the time I realized I wasn't seeing through my eyes anymore.

It feels... odd. Everything is so light and radiant. I start seeing new figures, as inmaterial as I'm now. I think I have spotted my parents somewhere... or is it just my imagination? No, they are indeed here! They smile lightly at me, giving me the so unexpected welcome to this heaven...

However, something stops me from running desperately at them. The only idea of Alis alone, down on Palma, paralyzes me. I know she can handle my unfinished quest, but I feel guilty for having given her such a task... I'm confident that she will be able to do it, with the help of Odin, but... now I feel guilty for what I have done. I'm exposing her to the same dangers and risks I had. I'm exposing her to a stupid death like my own... And she's so young and innocent to die at the hands of that madman, or to get killed by some of his puppets...

Alis, in what have I gotten you into, little sister?

The End


End file.
